Pakistan’s petroleum dealers have firmly rejected the deregulation policy and hinted at the possibility of shutting down petrol pumps nationwide.
In a video message, Abdul Sami Khan, the Chairman of the All Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (APPDA), expressed their opposition to the deregulation formula for petroleum product prices.
“This move will only encourage smuggling and adulteration of petroleum products,” he stated.
Khan mentioned that deregulating petroleum prices would allow petrol pumps to set their own rates. An emergency meeting of the central committee has been called, and protest banners will be displayed across the country starting today.
He also announced that a letter would be sent to the Petroleum Ministry, opposing the deregulation formula and demanding an increase in dealers’ margins. Khan called for the per-liter margin for petroleum dealers to be increased by four percent to Rs 13.
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He claimed that while the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) supports the dealers’ stance on deregulation, it lacks the courage to voice this before the ministry.
Khan further mentioned that petroleum smuggling from Iran has resumed and urged the federal government to sign a legal agreement with Iran to curb it.
He criticized Musadik Malik for neglecting the concerns of petroleum dealers and argued that deregulation would not result in cheaper petrol for the public.
